Sunset Ridge Elementary

Summary:

Sunset Ridge Elementary is a top-performing public elementary school in Middleton, Wisconsin, serving grades PK-4 with a total enrollment of 317 students. The school is part of the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, which is ranked 54 out of 428 districts in Wisconsin and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sunset Ridge Elementary has consistently been one of the top-performing elementary schools in Wisconsin, ranking within the top 40 schools in the state for the past several years. The school has maintained a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating exceptional academic performance and student outcomes. Sunset Ridge Elementary outperforms the state and district averages in the Forward Exam, with a significantly higher percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 83.33% of 4th-grade students at Sunset Ridge Elementary were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 75.45% in the district and 53.42% statewide.

When compared to other elementary schools in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District, Sunset Ridge Elementary significantly outperforms its counterparts, including Elm Lawn Elementary, Sauk Trail Elementary, Park Elementary, and West Middleton Elementary. Additionally, when compared to elementary schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District, Sunset Ridge Elementary significantly outperforms these schools in academic achievement, with much higher proficiency rates in all subject areas.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

 8686 Airport Rd
       Middleton, WI  53562-4180


(608) 829-9300

District: Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
39th of 1,061 Wisconsin Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,408 Help


Students who attend Sunset Ridge Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Glacier Creek Middle
High:    Middleton High

Student/teacher ratio:  13.6 Help
Number of students:  317

Racial breakdown:

White:
70.0%
Asian:
15.1%
Hispanic:
9.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  9.8% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Sunset Ridge Elementary ranks better than 96.3% of elementary schools in Wisconsin. It also ranks 3rd among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 89.59. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (70%), Asian (15.1%), Hispanic (9.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 9.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sunset Ridge Elementary is 13.6. 5 elementary schools in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Sunset Ridge Elementary employs 23.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sunset Ridge Elementary is $13,408. 4 elementary schools in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sunset Ridge Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Sunset Ridge Elementary 39th of 1061 Wisconsin public elementary schools. (See Sunset Ridge Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District 54th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Sunset Ridge Elementary?

Rank History for Sunset Ridge Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Sunset Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 78.56 116th 633 81.7%
2005 72.83 181st 632 71.4%
2006 80.32 92nd 712 87.1%
2007 81.02 73rd 689 89.4%
2008 81.03 71st 1021 93.0%
2009 86.76 16th 1030 98.4%
2010 87.11 9th 1045 99.1%
2011 85.80 21st 1046 98.0%
2012 81.00 55th 1045 94.7%
2013 87.89 36th 1053 96.6%
2014 88.92 34th 1061 96.8%
2015 92.09 7th 1076 99.3%
2016 96.44 4th 1075 99.6%
2017 94.96 11th 1071 99.0%
2018 95.71 6th 1025 99.4%
2019 91.19 32nd 1037 96.9%
2021 88.74 63rd 1050 94.0%
2022 92.78 20th 1067 98.1%
2023 91.23 33rd 1067 96.9%
2024 89.59 39th 1061 96.3%
See the entire list of Wisconsin Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Sunset Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 94.28 4th 67 94.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sunset Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 99.35 2nd 287 99.3%
2019 85.15 22nd 275 92.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sunset Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.51 82nd 721 88.6%
2019 40.76 415th 742 44.1%
2023 79.56 78th 770 89.9%
2024 87.59 55th 790 93.0%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sunset Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 95.03 8th 854 99.1%
2019 80.38 72nd 874 91.8%
2023 77.00 101st 871 88.4%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sunset Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 95.96 5th 997 99.5%
2019 89.95 33rd 1002 96.7%
2021 86.67 69th 1004 93.1%
2022 94.60 10th 1017 99.0%
2023 92.82 21st 1010 97.9%
2024 90.25 32nd 1011 96.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sunset Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 93.37 16th 997 98.4%
2019 90.28 37th 1002 96.3%
2021 87.31 63rd 1003 93.7%
2022 89.25 34th 1017 96.7%
2023 87.97 52nd 1011 94.9%
2024 85.38 75th 1012 92.6%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Sunset Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 93.64 2nd 107 98.1%
2019 92.43 7th 122 94.3%
2021 94.07 3rd 106 97.2%
2022 94.15 2nd 110 98.2%
2023 91.36 13th 116 88.8%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sunset Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.41 27th 271 90.0%
2024 97.46 6th 331 98.2%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sunset Ridge Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 94.67 10th 686 98.5%
2019 88.84 38th 718 94.7%
2021 77.38 110th 699 84.3%
2022 87.20 40th 704 94.3%
2023 87.06 43rd 715 94.0%
2024 84.80 53rd 727 92.7%
See the entire list of Best Wisconsin Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Sunset Ridge Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2)
0%

0%

0%

100%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Open Quote Really bad/inconsistent communication with parents unless you have the luxury of being able to go down there frequently and badger them until you get the answers you need I work full-time and don't live close by so this is not always possible. They don't talk to you unless theyre freaking out, everything is either a huge crisis or doesn't get talked about at all.

In the two years we've lived in this district I have had teachers tell me to not even bother volunteering with their classes. Many teachers and staff I've encountered seem to be on auto-pilot and don't really listen, they pretend to and then ignore concerns or shrug them off as someone elses problem. The only people I've worked with there who takes the time to get in touch with me, listen to my concerns, and tries to create positive outcomes is the guidance counselor and Mrs. Johnson.

Bullying is getting worse even in grades as low as first and kindergarten I have witnessed physical conflicts, groups excluding certain kids, name calling, etc.

The PTA's only focus is money. I get no sense of community in spite of volunteering for a half dozen committees I've never been contacted about any kind of physical volunteering, just requests for money/donations.

I am was really disappointed, I had high hopes that this would be a good school for my kids and at this point I really have no faith that it is, because it doesn't seem like they're doing anything at all. Now it looks like we'll be moving just to have a better option. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sunset Ridge Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1997 364 0 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 366
1998 368 6 3 1 3 n/a n/a 0 381
1999 412 5 4 1 3 n/a n/a 0 425
2000 405 2 3 0 4 n/a n/a 0 414
2001 417 1 11 1 2 n/a n/a 0 432
2002 466 6 19 5 1 n/a n/a 0 497
2003 466 6 19 5 1 n/a n/a 0 497
2004 429 8 18 3 0 n/a n/a 0 458
2005 437 15 26 4 0 n/a n/a 0 482
2006 453 18 24 1 0 n/a n/a 0 496
2007 446 14 26 3 0 n/a n/a 0 489
2008 443 13 24 4 0 n/a n/a 0 484
2009 439 9 27 5 0 n/a n/a 0 480
2010 448 7 35 12 0 n/a n/a 0 502
2011 436 5 39 24 0 0 4 0 508
2012 431 5 47 38 0 0 8 0 529
2013 433 6 64 41 2 0 14 0 560
2014 435 7 73 38 2 0 23 0 578
2015 345 5 74 29 2 0 24 0 479
2016 323 5 65 29 2 2 27 0 453
2017 303 4 101 29 1 0 29 0 467
2018 296 2 115 27 2 0 31 0 473
2019 325 7 105 25 2 0 25 0 489
2020 322 5 115 30 1 0 23 0 496
2021 233 2 57 25 1 0 14 0 332
2022 211 3 45 28 1 0 10 0 298
2023 222 4 48 29 1 0 13 0 317

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Sunset Ridge Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1997 366 22.2 16.5 4.9
1998 381 24.4 15.6 6
1999 425 27.9 15.2 9.2
2000 414 26.3 15.7 8.2
2001 432 28.7 15.1 10
2002 497 31.9 15.6 2.8
2003 497 31.9 15.6 2.8
2004 458 31.7 14.4 3.3
2005 482 30.7 15.7 n/a
2006 496 31.9 15.5 n/a
2007 489 31.8 15.4 4.9
2008 484 35.5 13.6 5.4
2009 480 32.2 14.9 6.9
2010 502 35.2 14.2 6.4
2011 508 33.0 15.3 10
2012 529 34.6 15.2 7.9
2013 560 34.9 16.0 9.3
2014 578 38.6 14.9 7.8
2015 479 n/a n/a 9.4
2016 453 33.0 13.7 9.3
2017 467 33.0 14.1 7.9
2018 473 33.4 14.1 5.9
2019 489 34.6 14.1 8
2020 496 33.5 14.7 9.5
2021 332 25.7 12.8 9.9
2022 298 21.8 13.6 10.4
2023 317 23.3 13.6 9.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Sunset Ridge Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1997 366 22.2 16.5 4.9
1998 381 24.4 15.6 6
1999 425 27.9 15.2 9.2
2000 414 26.3 15.7 8.2
2001 432 28.7 15.1 10
2002 497 31.9 15.6 2.8
2003 497 31.9 15.6 2.8
2004 458 31.7 14.4 3.3
2005 482 30.7 15.7 n/a
2006 496 31.9 15.5 n/a
2007 489 31.8 15.4 4.9
2008 484 35.5 13.6 5.4
2009 480 32.2 14.9 6.9
2010 502 35.2 14.2 6.4
2011 508 33.0 15.3 10
2012 529 34.6 15.2 7.9
2013 560 34.9 16.0 9.3
2014 578 38.6 14.9 7.8
2015 479 n/a n/a 9.4
2016 453 33.0 13.7 9.3
2017 467 33.0 14.1 7.9
2018 473 33.4 14.1 5.9
2019 489 34.6 14.1 8
2020 496 33.5 14.7 9.5
2021 332 25.7 12.8 9.9
2022 298 21.8 13.6 10.4
2023 317 23.3 13.6 9.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Sunset Ridge Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $237 (2.1%) $10,862 (97.9%) $11,099
2020 $160 (1.4%) $11,060 (98.6%) $11,221
2021 $193 (1.4%) $13,216 (98.6%) $13,408

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sunset Ridge Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 32nd of 1037 Elementary schoolsRanks 33rd of 1067 Elementary schools
 0%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Sunset Ridge Elementary)72.777.8
 5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District)62.360.1
 2.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)39.537.9
 1.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Sunset Ridge Elementary)88.685.2
 3.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District)80.170.9
 9.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)50.548.8
 1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Sunset Ridge Elementary)60.965.1
 4.2%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District)61.564.1
 2.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)43.945.8
 1.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Sunset Ridge Elementary)78.271.4
 6.7%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District)74.868.6
 6.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)46.246.5
 0.2%
4th Grade Social Studies (Sunset Ridge Elementary)79.384.1
 4.8%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District)74.679.6
 5%
   4th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)53.459.7
 6.4%
4th Grade Science (Sunset Ridge Elementary)78.281
 2.8%
   4th Grade Science (Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District)73.872.1
 1.7%
   4th Grade Science (Wisconsin)53.952.1
 1.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students489317
 35.2%
African American74
 42.9%
American Indian21
 50%
Asian10548
 54.3%
Hispanic2529
 16%
Pacific Islander00
White325222
 31.7%
Two or More Races2513
 48%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients8%9.8%
 1.8%


Schools Near Sunset Ridge Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Sunset Ridge Elementary

Students at Sunset Ridge Elementary are 70% White, 15% Asian, 9% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% African American.

In the 2022-23 school year, 317 students attended Sunset Ridge Elementary.

Yes! Sunset Ridge Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 39th of 1061 Wisconsin elementary schools.

Students who attend Sunset Ridge Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Glacier Creek Middle
High : Middleton High


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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